MAIN Master in Innovation Management (laurea magistrale) A service science perspective for business and government

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1 MAIN Master in Innovation Management A service science perspective for business and government MAIN is a two-year full-time program that equips home and international students with advanced knowledge of innovation management, practical experience and personal skills. Specifically, it provides sound knowledge of the innovation processes across industries, based on solid foundations in economics and management, a quantitative approach and the exposure to a mix of world-wide cultures. MAIN is jointly organized by the University of Trento and the Scuola Superiore Sant Anna of Pisa. Aimed at graduates and young professionals from different backgrounds, the program is specifically designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the innovative dynamics at the company level. MAIN students learn to identify, manage and shape the innovative trajectory of the firm in order to exploit its strengths and lead it to success in the competitive arena. MAIN students learn to think strategically in order to reduce or take advantage of uncertainty in the markets. Furthermore, students gain the theoretical knowledge and practical know-how to select the best innovative strategies for private and public institutions. Innovation today - and in the future - is mainly an innovation in service and therefore requires an interdisciplinary approach which blends and integrates technology, management, computer science, economics, organizational behavior and leadership according to the Service Science concept. 13

2 MAIN will provide a multi-cultural environment, based on the long-term international relationships which globally connect both the University of Trento and the Scuola Superiore Sant Anna of Pisa. This context fosters a stimulating learning process. MAIN lasts 2 years fulltime (in-take in September each year), the official language is English and it is based on a mixed teaching methodology (traditional lessons and case studies). The first year is dedicated to the core courses and is carried out in Trento; the second year takes place in Pisa and completes the curriculum with core as well as elective courses and the internship, which is scheduled as a part of the 2-year program. Program overview Title awarded Program start Duration Language Structure Class size Main deadline Extended deadline (only EU) Minimum requirements Selection criteria Scholarships and financing Accommodation Further information Contacts Master of Science in Innovation Management from the University of Trento and the Sant Anna School of Advanced Studies of Pisa (joint degree) End of August 2 years full-time English First year in Trento, second year in Pisa Up to 30 students March (check for updates) June (check for updates) Bachelor s degree, English and computer knowledge GMAT, English test, CV, motivation letter, references Opera Universitaria scholarship (partial or total exemption from the fees, grant for living costs, housing at reduced prices) Opera Universitaria loans for up to 30,000 euros per student at zero or reduced interest rate Bank loans with favorable conditions In the University apartments for the first year (selected students only) main@unitn.it 14

3 The University of Trento The University of Trento, first in the national best university ranking, has focused on excellence since its inception in 1962 and it now enjoys a strong global reputation. It has 7 faculties, 14 research departments, more than 500 professors and 15,000 students. Despite its relatively small size if compared with the top universities, it was ranked among the 500 top universities in the Times Higher-QS World University Ranking The Sant Anna SCHOOL OF ADVANCED STUDIES OF PISA The Sant Anna School of Advanced Studies is a special statute university which operates in the field of applied sciences. The School s aims are to promote the development of culture through scientific and technological research, to offer undergraduate, graduate and lifelong education, and to assure continuous interaction between research and education. The three key points of the School s mission are excellence attained by the rigorous selection of students and of the teaching/research staff, an interdisciplinary as well as a cultural and methodological approach, and internationalisation built up by connections with the best institutes and centres at a global level. 15

4 CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Graduates with a Master s degree in Innovation Management can work as product managers, management analysts or management consultants, with specific competencies regarding innovation procedures, techniques and strategies. Typically, MAIN graduates work in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) particularly drawn to innovative activities or in large multinational companies, but MAIN graduates could also work successfully in government organizations where they could promote innovative methods. Specifically, knowledge intensive businesses in the manufacturing or services sector are interesting target companies for MAIN graduates. Students following the MAIN program also acquire the specific knowledge to implement product, process, and organizational innovations to improve their own family-business or launch a start-up. MAIN students are tutored by faculty members during the internship experience, and after graduation, they are also advised on their professional careers. REQUIREMENTS Since admission to MAIN is selective and there is intense competition for student places, prospective candidates must apply online as soon as possible in the period between January and March. Even though the first deadline (March) is designed to allow non EU students to accomplish the visa formalities, EU students are also encouraged to apply as early as possible. In order to be considered for admission to the MAIN program, a Bachelor s degree in business or equivalent, or a higher degree is required, as well as certified English knowledge (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS or similar) and proven computer skills. The GMAT test is highly appreciated, and selection is based mainly on test scores. A curriculum vitae, two letters of reference and a letter of motivation are also required. Language All courses are taught in English. International students are required to undertake language courses in Italian, which are sponsored by the Faculty of Economics. Final degree After successful completion of the curriculum and fulfillment of the Master course requirements, students will be awarded a Master s degree in Innovation Management. Application information For more details about formal requirements, the application procedure and forms to be used for the MAIN Call for Applications, visit Further information is also available from main@unitn.it 16

5 MAIN courses Teaching methodology The intensive program has two core areas - economics and management - and several possibilities of learning-by-doing e.g. case studies analyzed during classes, group work, as well as the internship organized during the program. Throughout the entire program, students are exposed to direct learning - through lessons, class activities, individual and group study - and to a stimulating international environment made up of home and exchange students, visiting professors and a network of international companies and institutions. Intensive courses are organized at the beginning of the program as preparatory classes since MAIN students often have different backgrounds. Intensive courses are designed to reinforce basic concepts in the fields of management, economics and law. This helps students to start the program with greater confidence and comprehension. First year Introduction to Mathematics (intensive course) Introduction to Economics (intensive course) Introduction to International Accounting (intensive course) Industrial Organization Organizational Behavior Information Technology and Information Systems Strategy and Innovation Management Quantitative Models for Business Decision Making Intellectual Property and Competition Law Industrial and Innovation Analysis Second year (in Pisa) ICT: Business Intelligence and CRM Economics of Innovation Financial Metrics for Business and Services Open Innovation Modeling and R&D Organization and Strategy for Business Model Innovation Elective Internship Individual final project TOTAL COMPLETE PROGRAM 120 ECTS Note: According to the Sorbonne (1998) and the Bologna (1999) Declarations, degree courses in the European Higher Education Area are structured in university credits = ECTS. A university credit corresponds to 25 hours of student workload, time for personal study included. The average annual workload of a full-time student is conventionally fixed at 60 credits. 17

6 MAIN COURSES - CONTENTS Intensive course: Introduction to Economics The main objective of this series of lectures is to review relevant notions and theories that are important for the formation of a common conceptual background. A discussion of the major concepts introduced during university microeconomics and macroeconomics courses will be provided. Particular emphasis will be placed on: the theories of the consumer, the theories of the firm, different market forms, basic concepts of national accounting, a model of aggregate demand and supply, and on the concept of an open and closed economy. Intensive course: Introduction to International Accounting This course aims to form students knowledge in the area of international accounting and management by explaining the causes of international accounting differences and the implications of accounting harmonization. Special emphasis is placed on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and on their convergence with standards generally accepted in the United States of America (US GAAP). The goal is to provide a thorough knowledge of the main accounting issues arising in financial reporting at the international level in order to better understand the reasons for international differences in financial reporting practices and the evolution of the accounting standards. Participants should be able, after attending this course, to read and understand financial statements prepared under IFRS or US GAAP conditions, and to critically evaluate the application of professional judgment by the reporting companies in the appraisal of assets, liabilities, and net income. 18

7 Industrial Organization The course is aimed at providing students with the skills necessary to understand the functioning of imperfectly competitive industries. The focus will be both on measuring and evaluating the performances of oligopolistic industries as well as on the behavior of firms involved in contexts with strategic interaction. Antitrust and regulatory issues will be analyzed. Innovation will be studied as a central aspect of company behavior in non perfectly competitive markets. Organizational Behavior The course is aimed at providing the analytical and personal skills necessary to understand and manage people s behavior in the highly demanding environment of internationallyoriented companies. Starting with two basic building blocks, namely a model for individual behavior (personality, perception, motivation, attitudes, performance) and a model for the contextual components of organizational behavior (groups, national cultures, structural constraints), we will derive a comprehensive framework for understanding and effectively managing organizational change, conflict and group decision-making in complex organizations. Strategic and Innovation Management The course will tackle both the topics of strategic management and of innovation management -what the main components of a strategy are and how a strategy is developed. Company competitive position and competitive advantage is a central issue of the course. Innovation will be analyzed as a key factor in building a competitive advantage and protecting it. Management of innovation is a method to allocate and organize company resources in the most effective way in order to produce innovation, and then to spread it, to exploit it and to use it for value creation. Quantitative Models for Business Decision Making This course consists in presenting some of the methods and techniques which are commonly used for the quantitative assessment of the available information. In particular, this course deals with time-series analysis (the classical multiple regression model, the classical multiplicative time-series model, autoregressive modeling, forecasting models). The topic of quality control is also addressed (the theory of control charts, understanding process variability, process capability). Intellectual Property and Antitrust Law The course will first provide an introduction into the normative and theoretical foundations of intellectual property and competition law. This requires an overview of economic concepts relevant to innovation (patents, trademarks, joint venture) and competition policy. Based on these building blocks, a systematic overview of European competition law is provided, with special focus on the assessment of horizontal and vertical agreements, the abuse of dominant position, and merger policy. Moreover, taking account of the increasingly international dimension of business practices, the course will cover the basic principles of other competition regimes, such as those in the US and some Asian countries. Finally, and on a related note, multiple options are discussed to assess restrictive business practices of an international scope within the World Trade Organization and through other means. ICT: Business Intelligence and CRM The course commences by introducing the main characteristics of networks of calculators, and the problems that may arise while using them to distribute data and supply services. It then analyzes modeling, designing and use of data bases in organizations. It will then be shown how the accumulated operational data can be reorganized into particular data bases (the so called data warehouse) through techniques of multidimensional analysis and data mining in order to generate synthetic information to support the decision process. Such methodologies of analysis will then be applied to specific problems related to CRM (Customer Relationship Management).

8 Economics of Innovation The course addresses issues concerned with innovation and research activities, and introduces the hotly debated topics about the production and diffusion of technological knowledge. Basing on empirical observations, the determinants and the consequences of technological innovation are analyzed with a strong emphasis on the development and evolution of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Furthermore, incentives to innovation in different market structures are analyzed as well as the link between innovation and economic growth and the role of firms and institutions in the innovative process. Financial Metrics for Business and Services This course focuses on the analysis of the economic and financial evolution of the enterprise using mainly the budget, the accounting information and management control. More recent techniques will also be studied on costing, measurement and the management of performance, and particular emphasis will be placed on innovative business models, networks and supply chain issues. Open Innovation Modeling and R&D The course provides profound insights into the fundamental aspects of innovation management in firms and research institutes. Particular attention is devoted to the dynamics of Open Innovation models, which is considered the most appropriate approach to the management of innovative processes. Furthermore, the course analyzes issues linked to the organization and management of R&D activities in firms of different size and industry, e.g. human resources management issues and their link to the innovative activity, cooperative activities aimed at innovation, and the effectiveness of innovative processes. Finally, particular attention is devoted to the strategic management of Intellectual Property. Organization and Strategy for Business Model Innovation The course is aimed at reorganizing systematically the competences and the knowledge acquired in previous courses, particularly concerning organization and strategy, in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the innovative process in different business models. Specifically, the course provides the insights to analyze how firms and enterprises may activate internal and external resources devoted to innovative activities in order to design new successful business ideas. 20